A website for Preserved Aircraft of All Eras
Riding the air force birthday wave from The Italian air force 100th anniversary on March 28, April 1 of 2023 sees the Royal Canadian Air Force turn 99 years old!
Here’s a small selection of RCAF types I’ve snapped over the years:
In a few days, March 28 to be exact, the Italian air force will be celebrating 100 years.
The Aeronautica Militare, the modern Italian air force, was formed as the Regia Aeronautica in 1923. It was given its modern name following the Second World War.
Here’s a few photos of modern Italian air force aircraft I’ve snapped here and there:
February 15 of 1946, 77 years ago today, the Douglas DC-6 took to the air for the first time.
The DC-6 is considerd by many to be the pinnacle of propliner aircraft. The last of the piston engine driven airliners before turboprop and jet airliners took over. Even after its days as an airliner were finished, the DC-6 soldiered on for many more years as a freighter and even a firefighting aircraft.
A small handful of DC-6s are still flying today, including the immacualtely maintained example owned by Red bull in the photos below:
To learn more about this legendary propliner, visit my Douglas DC-6 article.
On August 31 of 1947, the prototype of Antonov’s An-2 took to the air for the first time. An instantly recognisable aircraft, the An-2 was given the name “Colt” in NATO’s code naming system for Soviet military aircraft during the Cold War.
Holding the distinction of being the largest single engine biplane ever to be put in production, the aircraft was in production from 1947 to 2001; an astoundingly long period for any aircraft.
Over 18,000 examples of the type are known to have been built between production lines in the former Soviet Union, Poland and China.
Here’s a selection of pictures I’ve taken of An-2s at various times and locations:
Pickled Wings 